I started a fountain pen frenzy five months ago. I did a lot of research before buying my very first fountain pen since high school, a lovely m205 Olivine, in F nib. Now I have four birds, how did I get here so quickly!

After getting Olivine, like many members who have posted here, I found the F nib not as smooth as I was expecting. Now I know that feeling is toothy, not scratchy. Yet a few months back, I knew very little. I went off track and bought a TWSBI Eco and a Lamy Al-Star Bronze. They are ok pens, I liked them very briefly and but I quickly moved back to Pelikans.

Next to come was the Ghost, M605 white transparent. How much I love the Ghost! The gold nib is so smooth. How ignorant was I! Until I started reading about all the flexy vintage, the modern gold nib was great for me. Now I put the steel F nib in it cz it works great with the coral pink limited edition of Ironshizuku ink. In between I bought another m400 nib in M for Olivine. The two toned gold nib is lovely to look at.

Next was a 400nn green stripe, with M nib. I guess it is semi-flex. I got it on eBay for Euro 95 shipped, from Germany. The pen has some scratches on the cap, the nib is not very smooth unless I use very wet ink. I guess the tipping material is partly worn off. Despite all these, I like the pen a lot. The flexy writing is fun.

I thought I was content, until I saw an M101n red tortoise showed up on Niche pens at very reasonable price. It was only available in M. I ordered one after thinking and torturing myself for a week. That was the last one! I had it grind to cursive Italic. Now I use Kon-peki in it. What a stunning pen. My favorite pen and favorite nib.

I promised myself I wont buy another pen until Christmas. Well, if I havent seen a lovely excellent condition 400 tortoise in OM nib, a script nib, not a logo. That one is coming in the mail from Germany.

Now I plan to get an M805 Stresemann for my husband. He only uses ballpoint, but after trying my pens he showed some interest. His birthday is coming up soon. Maybe it will get him hooked and he wont be so angry of me spending over 1000 in merely 5 months on pens!

""""Next was a 400nn green stripe, with M nib. I guess it is semi-flex. I got it on eBay for Euro 95 shipped, from Germany. The pen has some scratches on the cap, the nib is not very smooth unless I use very wet ink. I guess the tipping material is partly worn off.....(No! The tipping is fine...it is a stub nib so is flat....no American Bump Under....I had to learn that my self...my first thought was worn out . Nope it's exactly the way you want.)

Despite all these, I like the pen a lot. The flexy writing is fun.""" Don't like that term with semi-flex.

I like to think of that as flair. That old fashioned fountain pen script..... a wider start of a first letter of a word, a bit wider L's and a crossing of a T, and the tail of an end of the word e, narrows....With out having to do anything.

It is Not a nib for Spenserian or Copperplate nor fancy writing. Perhaps a fancy decender at the end of a paragraph...giving a bit of flair.

SEMI-flex.....almost and the almost is quite far from superflex. A more precise bit of jargon than 'Flex'. If that is what is meant.

When I got my first vintage semi-flex a 140 OB....it took me some three months to lighten up my Hand......more than likely a good month before I wasn't maxing the nib all the time....making half fat letters.

I think you have a slightly misaligned nib. The 400nn is a stub semi-flex, so it is flat, and don't have the bump under tipping of later generation pens. Is not scratchy....nor toothy.....

I remember as a noobie, looking at my first vintage German pens and thinking some shade tree mechanic had smoothed them...........that was back before there was a qualified nib grinder under every tree like today. I was wrong many of the German factories stubbed their semi-flex nibs as normal.

Is there an OB. OM or OF on the nib? That is oblique....and if the nib is not held canted to the left it will be scratchy....even slightly at OB..........much more at OM&OF. There one must be more precise on nib placement to the paper....or it will be scratchy. If it is...get back to me and I'll explain certain tricks.

#1 get a good coated glass once in a life time 10X loupe for @ $35 Belomo, or buy a cheap Chinese loupe a number of times that is 40 X....which is actually only 10X in reality. Is cheap and not quite as good. 100% you need a 10 X loupe...............I think 15 X to be a bit too strong. Remember 40 X Chinese is only 10X.

Once you align the nib...it could be you need to get rid of some micro-corrosion or 'iridium rust' form the pen sitting for a generation or two in the dark of a drawer. Drag.....not quite toothy....which is like writing with a pencil.....but drag....just feels draggy.

I like advising a noobie to get rid of drag after using one's loupe to align the nib, by using a good quality paper bag....one can get rid of drag with out ruining a nib which could happen if one is heavy handed with micro mesh.

Could well be if you align the nib, you won't need to smooth it. A good quality brown paper bag will never ever give someone butter smooth. It will give the next level lower; good and smooth.

So Not use a figure *, a passed repair man, Ol'Griz said that could cause baby bottom.

If and when you have gotten a 10X loupe we can talk about the brown paper bag trick.....all advice about micro mesh is ruin two cheap pens before doing any real work.

Not so with a good brown paper bag, which will not do butter smooth....which is something you really don't want nor need on a 400nn.........they were not made in a butter smooth era.

First align the nib, then we can worry about the small stuff.

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The nib is not supposed to be flexing more than 3 X a light down stroke..........or you will eventually spring your nib.............(And it should come naturally with out you forcing anything.)

(Richard Binder has a great article on his site. He is the bible of fountain pens, great info on nibs, filling systems and good advice on ink. & real pretty vintage pens) He retired or semi-retired and was one of the Big Boys.....Big Three and may have been #1.

The 400nn when posted is one of the great pens of any era....great balance, great semi-flex stubbed nib, holds a ton of ink; 1.95-2.00ml.

Scratches on the cap can be polished out............semi-chrome with the bare finger tips only. Unscrew the clip. Polish and buff with a bit of flannel the cap some three times.

Novis I believe it is, is better is a three stage plastic polish, that is used to polish the canopy of a jet fighter. ...But often one has a light chrome polish at home. For years ...back before Chinese pens swamped the market five years ago..........................most folks bought old used pens..... vintage and semi-vintage..........so polishing used pens was normal and there was a thread often.

I'm about the only one who talks about polishing old pens lately.

That can wait....get the nib aligned first.

Edited by Bo Bo Olson, 09 May 2019 - 22:32.

German vintage '50-70 semi-flex stubs and those in oblique give the real thing in On Demand line variation. Modern Oblique is a waste of money for a shadow of line variation. Being too lazy to Hunt for affordable vintage oblique pens, lets you 'hunt' for line variation instead of having it.

Congratulations with these pretty pens. I know its hard to stay with just one Pelikan. I did the same thing as you, bying several Pelikans in a few months (including the white transparant) and I stil find myself looking for more. So just say hello to your new pens (and goodbye to your savings 😀 )

You certainly jumped in with both feet, didn't you? It was several years before I had the money for my first Pelikan (a 1990s era M400 Brown Tortoise with a juicy and somewhat springy F nib. But then yeah, I was hooked. My favorite pens are actually vintage Parkers, but all my really expensive pens are Pelikans. The Brown Tortoise was for a special occasion, and my husband was freaking out over the price when I won that particular auction (I pointed out that a NEW Pelikan M400 would cost a lot more, and they no longer made that color -- only to have Pelikan make a liar out of me on the second statement). OTOH, I didn't pay a huge amount for a 1980s M100, and a year ago March I picked up a 1980s era Pelikano (really smooth nib for being a "kids' pen" ) for a whopping $5 US at a pen show.

aOf course I have a couple of fairly expensive birds: an M405 Striated Blue and an M405 Anthracite Stresemann (thanks to circumstances that will never happen again, I had a major league shopping budget a couple of years ago) but also picked up a much less expensive M120 Iconic Blue last year (which looks even better in person than the photos let on.... ). I also have one vintage one: a 1950s era 400 with an OB nib; and an M200 with the Bayer logo on it (a "joke" gift from a friend who found it on Freecycle, which had likely never seen ink before I was given the pen). And there's a little piece of me that is still convinced that the replacement M200 Cafe Creme will still turn up in a box or crate in my living room....

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

"It's very nice, but frankly, when I signed that list for a P-51, what I had in mind was a fountain pen."

Nice flock, indeed. And by now you're already warned that you are on slippery ground.

I would fix that 400NN nib or get it fixed. They are some of the best nibs you could get hold of and a bucket of fun to write with. Such a vintage pen might have been mistreated in the past so that the nib needs a bit of tuning. But once that's been done you have a good chance that your modern Pelikans see very little use.

""""But once that's been done you have a good chance that your modern Pelikans see very little use.""""

Outside the '82-97 springy regular flex which being a bit dryer than the vintage semi-flex are easier to use shading inks than the wetter semi-flex.

Need both.

Modern Pelikan outside the 200/100 make for good stubs or CI's.....sadly. BUT one has vintage and semi-vintage nibs..................and they fit the 400/600 pens.

There are many beautiful 600's. I had a 605 that had a fat BB nib on it, to eventually stub or CI. I got it stubbed to 1.0.....but it wasn't as good as the semi-flex stubbed '50's B nib......that is a grand nib. It like all the vintage/semi-vintage nibs are 1/2 a width narrower than modern. So is a writing nib not a signature nib like modern B's.

There is a sea of beautiful 600's.................I find nothing wrong with various 400's either. Vintage Obliques are .

German vintage '50-70 semi-flex stubs and those in oblique give the real thing in On Demand line variation. Modern Oblique is a waste of money for a shadow of line variation. Being too lazy to Hunt for affordable vintage oblique pens, lets you 'hunt' for line variation instead of having it.

That is a nice flock you've acquired in a short time. You are following the same path as many of us here. These birds do not like to live in isolation. Enjoy your pens and good luck growing the flock. If I may, you might want to look into adding an M120N. Great pen though pricey for what it is. Would fit in with your collection nicely. You could always get your husband an R805 Stresemann Rollerball or a K805 Stresemann Ballpoint. Same style but something that he is more accustomed to.

PELIKAN - Too many birds in the flock to count. My pen chest has proven to be a most fertile breeding ground.

I am finally back! My account was removed shortly after the post. I guess because my email looks like spam to the system. I registered and finally got the account validated today. I read all your warm and kind messages while waiting, thanks so much!

A bit of update. I could see the tines were misaligned with my 400nn, I bent it with my fingers. It became better but still writes too dry. So I sent it to Peter Twydle to get it adjusted. The pen came back this week. He managed to remove the nib unit, which I now put in my Ghost. It writes wet now, much better smoothness. The piston seal is gone on the 400nn. I dont want to fix that, since I am happier using my Ghost body.

That is a nice flock you've acquired in a short time. You are following the same path as many of us here. These birds do not like to live in isolation. Enjoy your pens and good luck growing the flock. If I may, you might want to look into adding an M120N. Great pen though pricey for what it is. Would fit in with your collection nicely. You could always get your husband an R805 Stresemann Rollerball or a K805 Stresemann Ballpoint. Same style but something that he is more accustomed to.

Thank you for your suggestions! The R805 is a good idea. His birthday is still a couple of months away, I will think on it.

I like the nib design of m120. I had considered getting it, but there are a few pens higher on my list. Like the M620 Piazza Navona, M200 Cafe Creme.

There is a sea of beautiful 600's.................I find nothing wrong with various 400's either. Vintage Obliques are .

Thanks Bo Bo. Your words inspired me to seek out those oblique nibs.

Unfortunately, the 400 tortoise in OM, that I bought earlier this month is lost in mail. Thats a beautiful pen, too bad it does not have me in its fate. I can only hope whoever got can appreciate it. The seller agreed to refund but I pity the loss.

I bought two semi-vintage Oblique nibs. One in 14k OB, one in 18k OBB. Both are two toned with two chicks. Likely from teledo or old style M600. I received the OB, it writes like architect grind, really fun. The OBB is on its way.

But once that's been done you have a good chance that your modern Pelikans see very little use.

Thanks!

I cant say I fully agree with you. My sample space is small, a 400nn M nib, and a 80s OB nib. I like both of them very much, but my modern M101n M nib with CI grind is still my favorite. I found the modern, even after CI grind, writes smoother and wetter. I enjoy playing with the vintage because they are so different.

Congratulations with these pretty pens. I know its hard to stay with just one Pelikan. I did the same thing as you, bying several Pelikans in a few months (including the white transparant) and I stil find myself looking for more. So just say hello to your new pens (and goodbye to your savings 😀 )

Oh yes, I spent way too much on pens, notebooks, and inks, in the past six months. My better half looked at the ink bottles on my bookshelf and went speechless.

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